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Many festivals lack official disaster and emergency management plans to assist in preparation for potential crises. Responding effectively to an emergency with evidence-based information and communication is key to mobilizing resources. This document provides a starting checklist for a basic disaster management plan, based on a review of existing resources. It is not a comprehensive list but serves as a foundation for festival organizations to build upon. Reviewing any disaster management plans with local organizations and agencies responsible for public safety is recommended for obtaining critical feedback.
The duty to care emphasizes the role of festivals in collaborating with stakeholders to ensure a safe and successful event. Identifying risks, defining roles and responsibilities, implementing prevention strategies, creating a response plan, and establishing a command structure are all efforts that contribute to a positive experience for attendees, volunteers, staff, and the community.
Many festivals do not have an official emergency response plan or disaster management policy. In some communities, such plans are required to obtain municipal permits. These plans typically outline how event organizers will provide first aid and basic safety and security information.
Comprehensive disaster management plans and policies, though less common, enable effective and timely crisis response. Examples of community and festival emergency response plans are shared below to guide the creation of disaster management plans and policies. Regular review, testing, and practicing of these plans are essential. Emergency exercises are a useful tool to test policies and procedures.
Festival emergency plans will often include policies and proceedures for regular occurring emergencies but provide little information aobut less common but impactful event. It is common for event emergency plans to include: contact lists, incident reports, lost person log, public announcement scripts, and reference lists.
Content to include in the emergency plan
Content to include in the emergency plan
Reference to formalized frameworks and guidelines that your organization is following such as permit guidelines, health guidelines, safety guidelines, accessibility guidelines, poison control, etc.
Description of your site including event access for traffic flows, ingress and egress locations, ambulance loading areas, loading and unloading areas, barricades, secure locations, public locations, event parking locations, and public parking locations. Site Mapping includes access points, ingress, egress, muster points, building locations and size, traffic flows, parking, camping areas, food service, utilities and gas, lost family/persons reunification areas, vendor areas, etc. An example of a site plan mapping checklist can be found on page 24 of the City of Calgary Festival and Events Manual.
Description of your event details including entertainment lineups, timings, estimated attendance, resources available on-site, event history, etc.
A comprehensive list of your stakeholders/partners/support organization itemizing who does what, what role they play and how frequently you have briefings. Network analysis if available.
Detailed communication plan describing lines of communication and contact information. Description of communication and technology capacity and plan such as apps, texting capacity, cell phone reach, stickers, prompts, safety stations, muster points, interpretive services, etc. Reliance and ongoing communication with regional networks for medical transport, local law enforcement, hospital locations and capacity, fire department, electrical hazards, etc.
Training opportunities and certifications of staff for emergency management, first aid, harm reduction, medical care, etc. Identification of uniquely qualified teams including the medical team for drug testing, safe spaces, harm reduction, poison, etc.
Complete hazard Identification and risk assessment associated with the event and look at prevention/mitigation and preparedness to reduce risk. Hazard site mapping including potential hazard areas such as food servicing areas, staging areas, communication hot spot areas, lighting, open fire pits, cooking areas, natural hazards such as kindling, water sources, access points, ingress and egress, muster points, festival boundaries and surrounding assets, elevation changes (rockslide, mudslide, flooding, earthquake potential), first aid stations, nearest medical centres, poison control contacts, power outage alternatives, emergency shelter locations. Inspection and quality of care for food and beverage services. Extreme weather monitoring and reporting – who in your organization will be responsible for monitoring and communicating extreme weather conditions, and how will that communicate that information. Weather statements, watches, and warnings must be communicated in a timely fashion. Cancelation protocols with regards to inclement weather.
Asset inventory including Identification of built infrastructure noting location, occupant capacity, utilities, and accessibility, roads, water systems, communication facilities, sewers, sidewalks, cable, wiring, schools, power plants, transportation, and communication systems. Identification of natural resources such as water supplies, wind patterns, climate, soil quality, and topography. A five-step example can be found on page 3 of the City of Guelph Emergency Response Plan. A template is found on p5 of the City of Calgary Festival and Events Organizer Emergency Response Plan. Common hazards described include fire, flooding, severe weather and wind patterns, bomb threat, medical emergency, power outage, violence, other threats.
Evacuation and shelter in place protocols so that in advance of a scenario requiring evacuation, event organizers can describe the actions taken if the event location had to be partially or fully evacuated and estimate time required to conduct the evacuation. Items such as who makes the call, coordination, public messaging, new location coordinates, marshalling, attendee counts, exiting strategy and so on; should be considered.
Missing person and missing child protocols to ensure the ability to quickly locate a missing person and reunite them with their group.
Harm reduction policies and procedure should include both codes of conduct and services to reduce harm.
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